Seaton 2nd grader collecting school supplies for Haiti

When he learned his mom and dad would be going to Haiti in April to help out in the town of Desalines, he wanted to do his part, so Seaton 2nd grader Judson Page decided to collect school supplies to send along to school kids in the hurricane-ravaged country.

He began his project in early February and decided to collect pencils, pens, notebooks and rulers to send along to school children in Desalines. The collection also includes some other practical items such as jump ropes, barrettes, bouncy balls, jacks and small model cars.

His fellow students chipped in, and by the end of the month he had overflowed the box that sits in the Seaton Elementary office. He says he thinks his total so far tops 85 pounds.

Judson’s efforts will continue through Friday March 4, and he’s looking for as many school supplies and small toys that he can send along to students in Desalinesi.

To make a donation of any of the items, you can drop them off at Seaton Elementary or leave a message for Judson’s parents, Kelli and Gene Page, at the Lapeer Free Methodist Church at 810-664-3393.

To learn more about the Haiti mission trip, visit http://haititrip.weebly.com.

Student art work on display at Gallery 194

The artwork of 20 middle and high school students from Lapeer Community Schools are currently on display at Gallery 194 in downtown Lapeer as part of the annual Michigan Art Education Association exhibit that runs through March 5.

The work of the artists includes a variety of media, including dry-point etching, prismacolors, pencil, oils, acrylics, tempera, fabric and clay.

The exhibit includes art work from nearly 70 students in Lapeer and Genesee counties. Winners from this regional exhibit will advance to judging in Lansing for statewide recognition. Winning artwork at the state level is displayed at several venues and in state offices throughout the Lansing area.

LCS exhibiting student artists at Gallery 194 include:

Adrianna Allen, Lapeer West 10th grade, “My Escape” conte pencils.
Karley Bauroth, Lapeer West, 11th grade, “Bonita Alta,” clay.
Kaitlyn Becker, Lapeer West, 11th grade, “Calla Lilies,” clay.
Eric Birkle, Lapeer West 12th grade, “Olde Time Machine,” prismacolor pencils.
Cheryse Burns, Lapeer West, 12th grade, “Three Siblings,” prismacolors.
Angelique Clark, Lapeer West, 12th grade, “Rainbow Rich,” clay.
Courtney Gilbert, Lapeer West 12th grade, “I Ride, Therefore I Am,” pencil.
Courtney Lang, Lapeer East 12th grade, “Sacre-Coeur,” dry-point etching.
Zoe Lovelette, Zemmer 8th grade, “Intense Color,” markers.
Amelia Meerschart, Lapeer East 11th grade, “Junk Yard Trucks,” oil pastels.
Jessica Ogles, Lapeer East 11th grade, “Initially Print,” mixed media.
Adam Porter, Lapeer East 12th grade, “Toy Store,” colored pencil.
Miranda Sanborn, Lapeer East 12th grade, “”Self-Portrait,” pencil.
Samantha Schlaud, Zemmer 7th grade, “My Many Emotions,” watercolor print.
Connor Schulte, Rolland-Warner 8th grade, Untitled, acrylic paint.
Madison Skene, Rolland-Warner 6th grade, “Frogs in the Rainforest,” water color.
Brooke Soroka, Rolland-Warner 8th grade, Untitled, embossment.
Lexi Thomas, Rolland-Warner 8th grade, “Spring Fever,” tempera/fabric.
Paige Tigner, Lapeer West 11th grade, “Trapped,” nu pastels.
Catherine Wonders, Lapeer West 12th grade, “Mad Hattress,” clay.

Cramton Center serves as hostage training site

During a professional development day for staff in mid-January, the Cramton Campus on Lake Nepessing Road, home of Lapeer Community High School, was transformed into a situational training location that was designed to both challenge the preparedness of the building in the case of an emergency situation, as well as allowing for the Special Response Team (SRT) members from the Lapeer County Sheriff Department to conduct valuable situational training in a school setting.

This was the first training of its kind in Lapeer County and involved more than 20 members of local law enforcement. “The scenario was modeled after the recent hostage situation in a high school in Wisconsin,” explained LCHS Principal Kevin Walters. “It was modified to present an opportunity for multiple levels of training and involvement.”

Staff members from LCHS were active participants in the training sessions, which include active shooter, bomb and explosives, barricaded gunman, and hostage situations throughout the day. The day ended with a luncheon and an opportunity to debrief between school staff and law enforcement.

“We would like to acknowledge the outstanding collaboration between the building and the Lapeer County Sheriff Department,” said Walters. He praised the work of Sgt. Andy Engster and Sgt. Don Brady, who worked with Walters to develop the scenario for this training.

Sheriff Ron Kalanquin was present during the training as well. Deputy Dave Hill assisted and is assigned to LCHS by the Sheriff’s Department. Last school year, LCHS enlisted the assistance of the department in providing a critical review of the school’s emergency response and lock-down procedures. Lt. Jim McLain, Sgt. Engster, Sgt. Brady and Deputy Hill from the Sheriff Department assisted in that review as well.

“This is a great example of collaboration between the school and local agencies in the interest of school safety,” Walters noted.

Rolland-Warner 7th graders celebrate Chinese New Year

It's the Year of the Golden Rabbit in China, and Rolland-Warner 7th graders celebrated the begining of the Chinese year 4708 on Feb. 11 (delayed because of a snow day on Feb. 3 when the new year began).

Rabbit is a lucky sign. Chinese tradition says the Rabbit brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves. To gain the greatest benefits from this time, make it a goal to create a safe, peaceful lifestyle, so you will be able to calmly deal with any problem that may arise.

Students made masks and then took part in a dragon dance that filled the hallway and snaked through the media center and office before returning to the classroom.

The celebration was part of the 7th grade study of the Eastern Hemisphere and in particular the study of China.

For a look at more photos from the event, visit the LCS Picasa album at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/RollandWarner7thGradersCelebrateChineseNewYear#

East's Donahue 1st girl soccer player to sign with Div. 1 school

She will attend Western Michigan University this fall


Lapeer East senior Ariana Donahue became the first-ever girls soccer player from Lapeer Community Schools to get a scholarship from a Division 1 school February 15 when she signed to play for Western Michigan University this fall.

While at East, Donahue’s accomplishments on the soccer field include starting all four years and earning All- Conference, All-District and All-Regional honors the past two seasons while leading the team in scoring.

She also was named to the All-State Second Team in 2010. Having been designated as Team MVP a year ago, Donahue, who plans to major in either psychology or journalism, also managed to lead the Flint Metro League tn 2009-10 with the most goals scored at 28 and notched 63 points as a junior, placing her fifth in the state for scoring after nabbing Honorable Mention All-State accolades as a sophomore.

“This is great. I’ve been playing (soccer) since I was seven, so this was my goal, to get a scholarship from a Division 1 school, so I’m really happy,” said Donahue. “My family has been with me every step of the way, so it’s really nice to have them here today.

“I really liked the campus and the general feel, but the coach (Suzie Grech) was probably the biggest thing for me. I really liked her. She said I would make a big impact (next season). I think she’s going to play me at center/mid, which is the position I’m used to playing, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Besides friends and family, also enjoying the glow of Donahue’s on-field success was Lapeer East varsity girls soccer coach Chad Kenny, who helped guide the Lady Eagles all the way to the 2010 regional finals against Bloomfield Hills Marian.

“We take pride in all of our kids, but seeing Ariana accomplish what she’s been able to accomplish on the grander scale has definitely been a special thing,” said Kenny.

Having also considered Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University and the University of Wisconsin, Donahue’s development was a multi-faceted process that took many forms over time. This includes spending four years with the Michigan Hawks, the fourth-ranked girls soccer club in the nation.

Donahue’s other notable accomplishments include being the first female soccer player from the county to make the state and regional Olympic Development Program team.

She also boasts an impressive academic record, holding a 3.9 GPA and has been a 4-year starter on the Eagles Cross County Team and a four-year scholar athlete. She was named Academic All-State in 2009 and 2010.

Photos by Michael Selecky
Photo captions:
(top) Ariana Donahue signs her letter of intent to attend Western Michigan University flanked by her father, Richard, sister, Brennah, and mother, Susana.

(bottom)Ariana poses with coach Chad Kenny and teammates at Lapeer East.

East's Sawchuk signs to play at Wayne State

Lapeer East senior Mike Sawchuk on February 10 celebrated his signing of a letter of intent to play football for Wayne State University next year.

Having been projected as a safety by the WSU defensive staff, Sawchuk, who was an All-League defensive back as a junior prior to throwing for 1,201 yards and running for 1,063 yards as a senior, joins a WSU squad that went 9-2 overall in 2010.

“I’ve wanted this ever since I was little,” he told The County Press in an interview. “To finally actually do it is a huge accomplishment. This is the dream, what I’ve always wanted to do” said Sawchuk.

“It means a lot that my family supports me in everything I choose. They’re completely behind me. I’m going to miss my teammates a lot, too. They’re also my family and I’ve grown up playing football with them, so it’ll be really hard leaving them and moving on with a new group of people.”

Having also considered institutions including Grand Valley State University, Ferris State and Michigan Tech, Sawchuk was drawn to the Wayne State campus as much for its academics as anything else, where he plans to become a pre-med major in preparation for an eventual run at medical school.

“This is a great accomplishment for Mike, a real testament to all the hard work he’s put in,” said East football coach Jake Weingartz. “He’s a great kid and is going to a great university and he has an opportunity to play collegiate athletics, which is huge.”

Jim ‘Basketball’ Jones visits Seaton

Using a broad mix of basketball stunts, humor and common sense, speaker Jim “Basketball” Jones kept the crowd “in the game” February 9 as he visited Seaton Elementary with his motivational message.

His focus for the 1st through 5th grade students was on character, putting forth your best effort, teamwork and listening. With a bit of good-natured ribbing mixed in, his message is for kids to live their dream, which he says often means putting yourself out to help others do their best. Randomly selected students got a chance to test their skills alongside Jones and were rewarded with small gifts for their efforts.

Jones’s upbeat message comes from his own life. He overcame dyslexia as a youngster, honed his skills with basketball tricks and performed as a teen at halftime shows with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA.

Refusing to let his learning disability define him, he put forth the extra work needed to finally exceed everyone’s expectations and graduate with honors from Bowling Green State University.

Students were captivated as Jones engaged the crowd in his positive message as he ran through his bag of tricks with the basketballs: juggling, dribbling and inspiring balancing acts with the spinning spheres.

His feats included putting his autograph on a basketball with a spinning ball on top of his pen.

The Toledo native has been putting on his show for more than a dozen years, and during that time has visited 3,000 schools in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

For a look at addional photos from the day’s events, please visit:
https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/JimBasketballJonesVisitsSeaton#

East bowler rolls her first 300

From the LA VIEW:
Justice Schihl, a 16-year-old junior at Lapeer East became the first female and first youth bowler to roll a perfect game at Gerlach’s Bowling Center on Feb. 10.

Shihl was bowling during the East high school league, putting her up for Metro League honors. She fired a 176 and 193 in her first two games for a 669 series. She’s been bowling since the fourth grade and is three-year varsity player for East. Brother Austin also bowls for East as a sophomore.

"The closest I’ve ever come to 300 was a 235," Schihl told the View Newspapers Monday as she watched a brand new banner announcing her accomplishment go up above Lanes 3 and 4, where she had been bowling last Thursday. "I knew I was close when I had seven strikes in a row," she added. "I was nervous, but kept it all inside. Everyone was starting to circle around the lanes to watch."

Schihl credits her dad for getting her involved in bowling and she also plays tennis on East’s junior varsity squad.

"I like that (bowling) is all you," Schihl explained. "If you mess up, it’s all on you."

To celebrate, Schihl was taken to dinner by her mom, grandpa and boyfriend.

‘This is just a special accomplishment and I’m going to try to just let that stand as I prepare for the Baker match and then Regionals on Feb. 25," Schihl added. "I especially want to thank my grandpa, mom and stepdad, Tony, for supporting and paying for my bowling.”

Commenting on Schihl’s accomplishment, East coach Anthony Novick said, "I’ve had her for two years. She works hard, is at every practice and is a team captain. She is a leader on the squad and helped the team tie for second place in the Metro League. She made Second Team All-Metro, her first time for the accomplishment. Because she’s just a junior, it will be nice to have her back next year. She’s a good listener, and that helps in her bowling."
The banner that now hangs at at the bowling alley reads: Justice Schihl bowled 300 on 2-10-11. First Female ever @ Gerlach’s Bowling Center.

Photo by Lisa Paine
Photo caption:
Justice Schihl was surrounded by coaches Ken Sexton, Anthony Novick and Cody Crump.

Another big crop of Scholastic art winners

Ten high school artists from Lapeer West and Lapeer East have earned awards in the recent nationwide Scholastic Art competition.

The list of awards include three Gold Key, five Silver Key and five Certificates of Merit earned by nine students from Lapeer West and one from Lapeer East.

Nine students of Lapeer West art teacher Nancy Barry took 12 awards in this year’s regional show. West artists have won National honors in this Scholastics competition 13 times over the years. “Schools are honored to have even a single piece in this juried show,” noted Barry. “The competition is very tough.”

She added, “These students continue to impress me with their dedication and work ethic as well as their talent. To be successful in life these traits are invaluable. The arts connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing as well as improve motivation, concentration and confidence. This is evidenced in the comments from these students. “

The Scholastic art competition is the most rigorous art competition for high school art students. For more than 80 years, students from across the United States have competed in this difficult contest. The Regional show is the first step in what can lead to National recognition. All Gold Key winners go on to compete at the national level. The Gold Key awards will be photographed by professional photographers, and the images will be sent to New York for further competition.

If these Gold Key students are award winners at the national level, they travel to New York City to receive their awards onstage at Carnegie Hall.

Barry quotes Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, when she notes: ‘“You can’t outsource creativity.’ These students have skills they can use in their work life. I am glad I had a part in their preparation for life.”
The award-winning artists:


Adrianna Allen is in tenth grade at West. She put three pieces into the show and won three awards. This is her first time entering. Her mom also was a student of Nancy Barry.

Adrianna said, “I was surprised to learn that I had won awards in Scholastics, and I am much honored. I worked hard on my pieces, but I did not think that they could compare to the amazing art of other students. It will be exciting to see the other students’ pieces in the show.”

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Kaitlyn Becker is a junior at West. She entered the competition last year and won a Certificate in Drawing.
Kaitlyn said, “The Scholastics art show is a great experience; you get to see the unique work from around the country. You see techniques you may never have seen before.”

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Eric Birkle is a West senior. He is also a student in Barry’s Kendall Dual Enrollment College Drawing class. This was his first time in the show. “After putting in as much effort as I did into this project, I am so pleased to have won a Gold Key!” Birkle said. “I was overjoyed when I heard the news. This piece was of an antique cash register, from about 1900. This is an era that I really respect, due to the great amount of effort they put into designing and making things look appealing to the eye. I hope and strive to show this through my work.”

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Rachael Broecker, a senior at West, won a Silver Key for her drawing of lacrosse players. She spent several hours just drawing the net in the picture. “I worked very hard on this piece so I am really excited to win a Silver Key.”

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Cheryse Burns is a senior at West. She said, “Who wouldn’t be super stoked? I am deeply touched that people enjoy my art in which I have invested countless hours of focus, frustration and annoying perfectionism.”
Cheryse entered a group portrait of herself, her brother and her cousins for which she was awarded a Silver Key. She also entered a charcoal drawing. It, too, won a Silver Key.
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Victoria Hays drew a very detailed drawing of ribbons in spirals. The piece was done in prismacolors and took several weeks of meticulous work to complete. Victoria is a West junior. “Though I have worked with prismacolor pencils before, I have never done a piece as challenging and time consuming as this project. Every inch of this project has taken a great amount of focus, dedication and patience. Because of this, it makes me even more proud of the Certificate in Drawing that my piece received.”

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Paige Tigner won a Silver Key in her first show. She drew her brother hard at work at his desk. Paige had this to say, “I was unsure that this project would even be accepted into the show, let alone receive a Silver Key! So, after spending many hours putting my best effort into every detail, I’m absolutely ecstatic that I’ve been so fortunate.” Paige is a junior at West.

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Emily Prchlik, a junior at West, is interested in fashion design. She made a hat using a felting process. Her piece won a Certificate of Merit in the fashion division. “Receiving a certificate in the fashion division has made me more confident in following my dream to become a fashion designer. It feels great to know that my work can be shown with the other students in the Scholastics show, and that my hard work is being recognized.”

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Paige Vronch won a Gold Key in Fashion for a dress she created using white garbage bags. Paige used the yellow tie section of the trash bags to make a pleated border around the top of the dress. The dress balloons out in layers and flows to the floor.
Paige is a senior in the commercial art class at Lapeer West. “When I found out how I did at Scholastics I was surprised. It made me feel like it was possible for me to enter a career in fashion, even though I’m only a senior in high school.”

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Shelbi Davis, an East senior, earned a Certificate of Merit of in the Scholastic art competition for her drawing of a young woman fashionably dressed for winter, titled “Wonderous Surprise.” She is a student of Lapeer East High School art teacher Debbie Helbig.

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Paige Vronch and Adrianna Allen also earned special awards for a scholarship for a class at The College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

All of the West students study with Mrs. Barry, who has taught at Lapeer West for 37 years and is also the school’s fine arts chairperson. Barry also teaches classes for Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University after school. Students receive college credit for the classes at a reduced cost. One half of the students who received awards are dual enrolled in these college classes and have already started their college careers.

For another look at the winning art and photos of the artists at work in the classroom, visit the Lapeer Community Schools Picasa photo album at: https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/LCSScholasticArtAwardWinners2011#

Distinguished Alumni nominees being sought

Do you know a Lapeer Community Schools high school alumnus worthy of induction in the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor?

Nominations for candidates for the sixth annual Lapeer Community Schools Distinguished Alumni Award program are being accepted for the fall induction program.

The Distinguished Alumni Award program is a coordinated effort by the District and the Lapeer High School Alumni Association.

To be eligible for the award, a person, living or dead, must have graduated from the Lapeer Community Schools at least 10 years ago and be noted in his or her field of endeavor or recognized for expertise and good works.

The person must be considered a role model for youth and demonstrated positive leadership and outstanding achievement, service or contributions to society. Honorees will attend the Distinguished Alumni Induction Ceremony this fall.

Applications are available in District buildings or by calling Mary Linn Voss at (810) 538-1634. Deadline for applications is Friday, April 29.

Art project provides mementoes for orphans

Lapeer East art students are busily putting the finishing touches on their work for the Memory Project, an international program that provides personal portraits for orphans from around the world.

This year, Debbie Helbig’s art students at East are creating portraits for orphaned children in Indonesia and Thailand.

Student artists who work on the Memory Project create portraits (drawings, paintings, graphic design, etc) for children and teens world who have been orphaned, neglected or disadvantaged.

The artists receive photos of kids waiting for portraits and then create the portraits. Memory Project volunteers deliver the portraits to the kids as special gifts. The goal of the project is to inspire caring, global friendship, and a positive sense of self.

The program was begun by University of Wisconsin grad Ben Schumaker after a chance encounter with a young man in Guatemala. The man said that he didn’t have any photographs of himself as a child, no belongings from his early years, no parents to share memories with. His childhood was a blank slate, and he didn’t want any other orphaned kids to share in his fate.

Schumaker thought that if he could get high school art students to paint pictures of the orphans and send them as gifts, the children would have a memento of their youth, a bit of history to hold on to.

The program began with 100 art teachers and their students in 2004 and has since grown to produce a total of 25,000 portraits for children around the world.
Lapeer West art students are just now beginning to work on their Memory Project creations for this year. Artists from both Lapeer high schools have participated in the project for years.

For a look at photos of some of the East artists at work, visit the Lapeer Community Schools Picasa photo albums at: https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/EastArtStudentsCreateArtForTheMemoryProject#

New golf program at Zemmer

A new morning golf program is open to 6th-8th grade boys and girls at Zemmer Middle School.

Three pros from Lake Nepessing Golfland and four teachers have volunteered their time to work with the students. The Golf Club currently has 18 students participating.

The club meets on Tuesdays from 7:45 to 8:45 am in the Zemmer gym. Club dues are $10 for the program, which runs through the remainder of the school year.

Space is limited, but there are still a few spaces left. Students can contact Mr. Reitz, Mr. Brinker, Mrs. Peacore or Mrs Yderstad for more information. Students must have a permission slip and dues paid before they can participate.

LCS students perform in honors band concert

More than two dozen high school and middle school music students from Lapeer West, Lapeer East, Zemmer and Rolland-Warner performed in the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association District III Honors Band Festival on Saturday, January 29, at Brandon High School.


Lapeer West High School students participating in the District III MSBOA High School Honors Band Festival included Kayla Haneline, Stephanie Wilcox, Taylor Harvey, Ashley Nugent, Tim Waelde, Deanna Childress, Aidan Smith. Lapeer East High School students included Dakota Hart, Sarah Powers, Whitney Harvey, Hannah Hastings, Keefer Maresh, Alison Gonda, Lillian Miller, Mason Sorenson, Alex Frederick.

Rolland-Warner Middle School students who participated included Sara Burns, Vanessa Sparks, Mark Lutz, Desmond Doneen and Emily Gillis. Zemmer Middle School participants inlcluded Morgan Combs, Shawn Deverell, Blake Clements, Serra Seib, Emily Dice, Meredith Henderson, Mark Lutz.

The Middle School Honors Band was conducted by Roger Weyersberg, director of the Lions of Michigan All-State Band, Low Brass Instructor at Saginaw Valley State University and the retired director of Music in the Ovid-Elsie area schools.

The High School Honors Band was conducted by Scott Boerma, associate director of bands, director of the University of Michigan Marching Band and professor of Conducting at he University of Michigan. He is also an avid composer. The band performed Glimpses, one of his original compositions, at the performance.

The students were nominated by their director and chosen from hundreds of entries around the Thumb, based on outstanding musicianship and participation in solo & ensemble.

Rolland-Warner Band Director Heather Hundt noted, “Their participation is an honor, and they did a wonderful job representing our school and our district and gave an awesome performance Saturday night.”

To view photos from the concert, please visit the Lapeer Community Schools Picasa photo albums at: https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/MSBOABandFestival#

Middle School tutoring on Mondays at R-W

Weekly after-school tutoring for middle school students is avaiable every Monday -- beginning Monday, Jan. 24th -- in the Rolland-Warner Media Center from 3:45-5:00 pm.

Parents of students who will attend need to provide pick-up for their children no later than 5:00 pm.

Still time to register for Enrichment classes

Registration is now underway for Enrichment classes offered through the Lapeer Community Schools. Classes are beginning, but there is still time to register.

Popular classes that still have a few openings include:

Computer 101, a beginner class with a slower-paced, step-by-step overview of computers and related components. The class meets Monday & Wednesday, February 7 and 9, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at The Rolland-Warner Computer Lab. Fee is $25.

Computer 102, a follow-up to Computer 101will be offered Monday & Wednesday, February 28 and March 2, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Rolland-Warner Computer Lab. Fee is $25, or you can enroll in both 101 & 102 for $45.

MORE Knowledge is a follow-up to Computers 101 and 102 and meets Monday & Wednesday, March 14 and 16, from 6:00 – 7:30 PM in the Rolland-Warner Computer Lab. Fee is $25.

Cindy’s Senior Fitness meets Mondays and Wednesdays, from 2:45 – 4:15 pm on January 31, February 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 23, 28, March 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 at the Community High School at Cramton, Gym, 1220 Lake Nepessing Road, Lapeer. Course fee is $75/or $55 with a Lapeer Gold Card.

For more information about Enrichment classes, please call 810-538-1622.

Trio offers artistic insights to West students

Local artists Deb Keene RuthAnn Mersino and Dale Vronch visited with several dozen Lapeer West students January 10 to discuss their life with their art.

They told students their successes and the challenges of working and running an art business and about their goals and how the students can also enjoy different arts, but that they need to continue their education.

RuthAnn Mersino told the students that after taking ten weeks of basic oil-painting classes, she began experimenting with palette knives. Since 1971, she has painted almost exclusively with palette knives, which she says is faster, cleaner and brings more realism to the subject painted. For 30 years she has been selling her art and teaching her palette knife technique.

Deb Keene is a wilidlife artist that may be best known for her carved wooden feathers. Keene expresses her artistic flair in just about every medium; from oil paints to meticulously precise carvings of woodland creatures and nearly everything in between. The work includes vivid landscapes and a remarkable attention to detail, especially in her wildlife pieces.

Dale Vronch’s home is located in a natural setting that lends itself to many photographic subjects. Dale specializes in nature photography. He explained to students how he can spend many hours searching for unique subjects to capture as images. This could include finite detail, achieved through macro photography, to the wide angle perspective of landscapes.

The discussion was hosted by the West library staff and arranged by library parapo Judi Warnke. Students were invited to learn about the different types of art done by the three artists. They explained to the students how they can sell their artwork, but would likely need another source of income as well. As part of the program the library got a chance to showcase all of the art books that are part of the wide variety on the school library’s shelves.

Photo caption:
Artists Deb Keene and RuthAnn Mersino, and photographer Dale Vronch spoke to students in the Lapeer West library.

For more photos of the visit, please go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/LocalArtistsVisitWestStudents#

East student attends governor’s State of the State

Lapeer East sophomore Ashley VanOoteghem was the guest of State Sen. Phil Pavlov as Gov. Rick Snyder delivered his first State of the State address Wednesday in Lansing.

Ashley accompanied the senator to the House of Representatives in Lansing to watch the address. Each elected official is allowed one guest to join them on the House floor.

Ashley’s essay was the winning entry in a contest hosted by Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township. He asked students to write a 250-500 word essay detailing their vision to reinvent Michigan.

.”
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity,” said VanOoteghem, daughter of Kim and Jim VanOoteghem. “Government is something I’m very passionate about and I think more people in my age group should be interested in it.”

“I’m excited about the proposals we heard tonight,” said Pavlov, chair of the Senate Education Committee. “It’s an exciting time in Michigan, and we must engage our young people to help make our great state even greater.

Earlier this month, Sen. Pavlov made a special visit to Lapeer East. During the January 7th visit, he met with high school Principal Scott Roper to discuss and seek input on important issues impacting education in our state.

The senator also toured the building and met with some of East’s students. Pavlov had many compliments for the staff and students at Lapeer East.

Photo captions:
Top photo -- Ahsley VanOoteghem talks with Sen. Phil Pavlov on the Senate floor in Lansing.
Middle -- Sen. Pavlov, East Student Council President Danielle Schultz and Principal Scott Roper in a Jan. 7 visit.
Bottom -- Sen. Pavlov. is interviewed by Lapeer East student Olivia Wallace during his visit to the school.

R-W students are learning about bees

They’re trying to keep the swarm warm

A chance discovery during a walk in the woods has turned into a biology project for students at Rolland-Warner Middle School.


Mike Wiltse’s special education class came across a bee hive in a large fallen down oak tree last fall on student walks “out back.”

Dave Peasley, the janitor at Rolland-Warner, is an amateur bee keeper in his spare time, and he helped the students identify the bees as honey bees. He told students he thinks it is a pretty large swarm.

“Dave has been instrumental in developing an interest in bee keeping with the class by bringing in raw honey, honeycomb and bee-keeping magazines,” Wiltse says. “With his knowledge we have been attempting to keep the bee hive free of predators such as mice, raccoons and skunks, during the winter.”



Students are feeding the bees supplemental food. Wiltse says a large bee hive survives by eating the honey stored in the hive throughout the winter, and without enough honey the bees will not last.

Lori Bireta and Wiltse team-teach in a class or two. Her outdoor education class, along with Wiltse’s students, have adopted the project of trying to keep the bees alive this winter.
“Our goal is to capture the queen when the bees swarm in the spring and have our own Rolland-Warner hives,” Wiltse says. “We plan on building some bee hives this winter and raise bees out back.”

“We don't claim to know too much about bees,” he says, so he will take some of his students to the Michigan Beekeepers Association Spring meeting at Michigan State University in March to learn more. He says several of the classes offered are for beginning beekeepers.


The project is teaching the children about symbiotic relationships, he notes. “The bees need our help to survive, and in return we help the planet with nature’s pollination. Bee enthusiasts say that one of every three bites of food a person takes is due to bee pollination. Getting some honey might also ‘bee’ motivation for the students,” Wiltse says.

“Either way, we have students who want to help build things rather than destroy.”
See additional photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/RollandWarnerStudentsAreFeedingTheBees#

Schickler Tech Club

This year at Schickler Elementary students have the opportunity to be part of a special Technology Club. Two or three students from each 4th and 5th grade classroom are selected.


This year the students have been busy with learning how to use many forms of multi-media. They have recorded video clips using Flip Cameras, mini DV cameras, cell phones, digital cameras, and document cameras. The students then used Windows Movie Maker and Flip Share Software to edit and create movies.

Other responsibilities of the club members include tutoring younger students with technology, updating a school-wide PowerPoint daily, capturing digital images on special occasion, and making a culminating project of a digital yearbook.

December 2010 West Holiday Concerts

View videos of the December 2010 West High School Choir Concert and the West Band Concert.

West choirs


West band

December 2010 East Holiday Concerts

View videos of the December 2010 East High School Choir Concert and the East Band Concert.


East band

Ed-Tech Open House

The Lapeer County Education and Technology Center’s annual Open House will be Monday, January 10, 2011. The Center will be open to the public from 6-8 pm.

Meet instructors, view the programs in action, and meet with college representatives.

Tenth grade students who are planning to enroll at Ed-Tech next year are strongly encouraged to attend this Open House and also need to complete an application and turn it into the Counseling Office at Lapeer East or Lapeer West High School by Wednesday, January 12th. Applications are available in the Counseling Office.

Lapeer East 2010 Halloween Band Concert

View the video of the Lapeer East 2010 Halloween Band Concert.

Lapeer Community Schools Transportation Director retires

The Transportation Department celebrated the holidays with its annual holiday luncheon December 20 at the bus garage on Calhoun Street. The District rolls out more than 60 buses a day to transport students to and from school.

Employees gathered together gifts for a Holiday Depot family and bid farewell to retiring Transportation Director Jerry Podzikowski, who has worked for the District for seven years.

The new director is Gail Finley, who comes to the District from Royal Oak with more than 20 years of experience in transportation.